Lock for shifter-blocks



G. C. JENSEN.

LOCK FOR SHIFTER BLOCKS.

APPUCAHON man Nov. 12. 1919.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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LOCK FOR SHIFTER BLOCKS.

APPLICAHON HLLD N0v.12, 1919.

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N VEN TOR A TTORNE YS WITNESS UNITED STATES GEORGE C. JENSEN, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

Loox Fon. SHIFTEBFBLOGKS.

Specication of Letters Pa1;ent.i\` Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application led November 12, 1919. Serial No. 337,549.

T0177] wlw/n 'it may concern:

Be it know that I, GEORGE C. JENSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have .invented certain new and use-ful Improvements in Locks for Shifter-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to locking means for the shifter blocks or forks of a motor vehicle transmission which are mounted for selective movement on a single supporting rod positioned within a transmlSSlOll'geaI' C2136.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a locking construction adapted for use in installations of the movable shifter block type whereby the shifter blocks are capable of being locked from movement by the actuation of a member which precludes movement of said blocks by coperation with arms or extensions thereon, to provide a construction where an interlock between said blocks is afforded, one also providing a retainer whereby the blocks are held in their :adjusted position.

lVith the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention,

reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a view in broken side elevation of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in broken side elevation of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the shifter blocks illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the present embodiment of the invention, a gear case 1 is employed having a removable cover 2, and in suitable bearings 3 positioned in openings 4 at opposite end walls of the casing 1 are held the opposite ends of a shifter block supporting rod or shaft 5 extending transversely of the casing 1 immediately below the open top thereof. 0n said rod are mounted the independent shifter blocks 6y arranged end to end, and downwardly from which depend the yokes 7 for engaging the respective transmission gears to be shifted. Upwardly from the upper surface of each of said blocks eX- tends an arm 8, the arms of adjacent blocks projecting beyond the adjacent ends of the blocks and lying in parallel relation as in the drawings.

The shifter blocks 6 are adapted for selective operation by the movement of the lever 9 carried by the case cover 2, the lower end of which is adapted for coperating with depressions 10, formed in the upper surfaces of said respective arms 8 and adapted to lie in register as in the drawings when said blocks 6 are positioned to move the driving gears into neutral or nonpower transmitting position. The base of one arm 8 and the free end of the other arm 8 are formed in their adjacent faces between the upper and lower edges thereof with the: neutral recesses or depressions 11 and fthe speed recesses or depressions 11 preferably arranged in a horizontal row on each arm and are adapted to lie one opposite the other on the movement of said blocks to position the gears controlled thereby, either into or out of power transmitting position.

The cover 2 is provided preferably at one side of the lever 9 with a vertical extension 12, the lower end of which is substantially square in cross-section and projects downwardly from the underside of the cover 2 to a point between thev adjacent faces of the arms 8. The member 12 is formed with a vertical bore 13, open at its upper end and intersecting at its lower end a horizontal bore 14 extending transversely across the depending portion 14 of the extension 12, as more fully illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The opposite ends of said bore 14 are adapted to lie in coperative relation with the inner faces of the arms 8. Mounted in said bore 14 to provide an interlock between said arms to preclude movement of one during the movement of the other arm from neutral posivarms 8 plus the depth of one stop 11, thus,

on the movement of one of said b cks 6 the member 15 coperating therewith, will be forced inwardly in the bore 14 to contact' with the other member 15. and retain the same in position in its recess 11. There is also provided a member for separatin said spherical members 15 to retain the s ifter blocks 6 in their adjusted or set position, and this includes a spreader or separating member 16, preferab y spherical in form positioned above the members 15 in the lower end of the bore 13, and the same is yieldably forced downwardly by a springpressed plunger 17, the upper end of which is received in a uide 18 in a locking bolt 19, longitudinally movable in the upper end of the bore 13, said bolt carrying at its u pper end a keyreleased locking mechanism 20 with which coperates a latch 21, adapted on. the depression of the bolt 19 its full limit to engage in a recess 22 in the side wall of the bore 13. A spring 23 surrounding the plunger 17 and contacting at its opposite ends with the foot 24 of the plunger 17 and the under-surface of the bolt 19 forc es said plunger and bolt in opposite directions in the bore 13 normally maintaining said plunger foot in contact with the spreader 16, and normally acting to restore said bolt 19`to unlocked position on the retraction of the latch 21 by the operation of the key, not shown, for controlling the operation of the locking mechanism 20. The locking movement ofthe bolt 19 is such when in its locking position, Fig. 2 of the drawings, t o position the upper end of the guide 18 1n contact with the upper end of the plunger 17, preventing upward movement of the plunger, thus locking the shifter blocks through said members 15 and 16 from operation. To prevent the rotation of the bolt 19, a guide screw 25 is carried by rthe extension 12 and projects into a vertical groove 26 inthe side wall of the bolt 19.

It will be observed that when the members 15 are separated and are retained by the operation of the bolt 19 to lock the blocks 6 from operative movement, the same project slightly beyond the ends of the bore 14 into the recesses 11, and such projection precludes the removal of the cover 2 from the case 1 during such time as the blocks 6 are locked from operative movement, thus, the present construction provides a lock, interlock and retainer for the shifter blocks and a lock whereby the cover is prevented from removal from the case during such time as the blocks 6 are locked from movement.

- In the construction illustrated in Figs. 4,

5 and 6, some of the features of the pre- 'ferred embodiment of the invention are 2. In this em odiment of the invention, the

arms 8 are each provided with a single depression 27, which are adapted to lie opposite each other on the movement of the blocks to neutral position, as in Fi 6, and adapted for reception into said a ined notches, is the -reduced end 28 of a locking bolt 29, the bolt being a duplicate of the bolt 19, but with the end 28 permanently secured thereto. c The bolt 29 and end 28 are normally held in unlocked or released position bya coiled spring 30, positioned in the lower end of the bore 13 as in Fig. 5. In this, construction the spherical members 15 and V16 are eliminated and to provide retainers for the block 6, each block is' formed on its side wall with a plurality of notches 31, and for coperation with the notches of each block is a sprin pressed plunger 32, carried by the wall o the gear case 1. It will be apparent in car ing out both the preferred and modified lfilrms of construction I have provided the blocks 6 with arms lying adjacent each other, and have incorporated in the cover means for coperating with the arms whereby the blocks are capable of being locked in their adjusted position, preclu ing the use of the vehicle by unauthorized persons.

It will also be apparent that in a construction of this type wherein the block supporting rod is mounted wholl within the casing and the lock is carried y the cover, oil leakage is prevented around the rod and the case and cover are maintained air-tight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is l 1. In combination with a gear case, a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding movement on said rod, means for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with portions arranged with adjacent faces in spaced relation adapted to overlap and formed with a stop, a member extending between the adjacent faces of said portions, and lock controlled means carried by said member for engaging said stops to lock said blocks from movement.

2. In combination with a gear case, a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding movement on said rod, a cover for said case, means carried thereby for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with arms adapted to overlap and said arms provided stop, and lock controlled means carried by the cover and capable of movement for engaging said stops to lock said blocks from movement and said cover from tremoval from said case.

4. In combination with a gear case,a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding' movement on said rod, means for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with portions adapted to overlap and formed in adjacent faces with a stop, a cover for said case provided with a depending portion eX- tending between adjacent faces of said arms, said depending portion provided with a bore connecting adjacent faces of said arms and a bore disposed to intersect said first bore, separatable members in said first bore for coperating one with each of said stops, and means in said second bore for separating said members and locking the same in engagement with said stops, whereby said blocks are locked from movement.

5. In combination with a gear case, a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding movement on said rod, means for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with portions adapted to overlap and formed inA adjacent faces with a stop, a cover for said case pro.

vided with a depending portion extending between adjacent faces of said arms, said depending portion provided with a bore connecting adjacent faces of said arms and a bore disposed to intersect said first bore, separatable members in said first bore for coperating one with each of said stops, and means in said second bore for separating said members and locking the same in engagement with said stops, whereby said blocks are locked from movement and said cover is locked to said case. Y

6. In combination with a gear case, a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding movement on said rod, means for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with portions adapted to overlap and formed in ad'acent faces with a stop, a cover for sair case provided with a depending portion extending between adjacent faces of said arms, said depending portion provided with a bore connectin adjacent faces of said arms and a bore isposed to intersect said first bore, separatable members within said first bore for cooperating one with each of said arms, and means within said second bore for maintaining said separatable members in yieldable contact with the stops ofhtheir associated arms.

7. In combination with a gear case, a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding movement on said rod, means for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with portions adapted to overlap and formed in adjacent faces with a stop, a cover for said case provided with a depending portion extending between adjacent faces of said arms, said depending portion provided with a bore connecting adjacent faces of said arms and a bore disposed to intersect said first bore, separatable members within said first bore for cooperating one with each of said arms, means within said second bore for maintaining said separatable members in yieldable contact with the stops of their associated arms, and a locking bolt in said second bore for maintaining said members in positive locked engagement with the stops of their associated arms.

8. In combination with a gear case, a rod therein, a pair of shifter blocks arranged thereon in end to end relation and adapted for independent selective sliding movement on said rod, means for selectively operating said blocks, said blocks provided with portions adapted to overlap and formed in adjacent faces with a stop` a cover for said case provided with a depending portion extending between adjacent faces of said arms, said depending portion -provided with a bore connecting adjacent faces of said arms, and a bore disposed to intersect said rst bore, a pair of separatable members within said bore and of a length when in contact equal to the distance between said arms plus the depth of one "stop and adapted one for cooperating with each of Said arms, means within said second bore for yieldably separating said members to maintain the same in contact with the stops of their associated arms, a bolt in said second bore for operating said yieldable means to force said ment of said spring said blocks, said blocks provided with portions adaptedto overlap and formed 1n adjacent faces with a stop, a cover for said case rovided with a depending portion exten ing between adjacent faces of said arms, said depending portion provided with a bore connecting adjacent faces of said arms, and a bore extending upwardly through said cover and arranged wlth its lower end intersecting said first bore, a pair of separable members within said first bore for coperating one with the stops of each of said arms, a separating member within said second bore for forcing between said separable members, a spring pressed plunger within said second bore for acting on said separating member, and alocking bolt capable of movement to preclude movepressed plunger by the movement of said blocks, whereby said blocks are locked in their adjusted position.

10. In combination with a gear case, a pair of shifter blocks arranged therein and adapted for independent selective sliding movement, means for selectively operating said blocks` said blocks tions adapted to overlap and formed in adjacent faces with a stop, a member projecting between and removable from said ortions, and lockcontrolled means carrie by said member for engaging said stops to lock said blocks from movement.

11. In combination with a gear case, a stationary rod therein, shifter blocks arranged thereon and adapted for selective movement on said rod, a cover for said case, means carried thereb for operating said blocks, means carried by the interior of the' cover for engaging the blocks to lock the same from movement and a member carried by the interior of the cover for engagement by said means when in locked position for locking the cover to the case.

In testimony whereof I h ave signed my name to this specification in the presence of a witness,

GEORGE C. JENSEN.

provided with pot*- l 

